This invention relates generally to animal cages and more particularly to a mobile carrier for pets and other animals. Most persons find it difficult to transport pets while walking or visiting.
Almost all indoor places, such as shopping malls and tourist attractions, and even many outdoor locations, such as parks and beaches, prohibit pets and other animals, especially dogs, from being walked, even if the pets are on a leash. Moreover, even with pets on a leash, there is still a danger of the pet escaping and in some cases biting someone or having an altercation with another animal.
Currently, the options available to pet owners are limited and restrictive. One option is to leave the pet in a vehicle, but that is prohibited in many states such as Florida, where quick heat build-up in a vehicle, especially a car, can be devastating or fatal to an animal. Even leaving the window open is insufficient for adequate ventilation.
Another option is to carry the pet wherever the owner goes. This option is impractical with large dogs and tiresome even with small pets.
Another option is to leave the pets home when the visit is short or at a kennel when away for extended periods of time.
Of course, another option is not to visit or go anywhere at all.
None of the above options are very satisfactory.
For the aforementioned reasons, there is a need for a device to make it easy, safe and convenient for a pet to accompany an owner on various excursions.
The prior art is devoid of any patented pet carriers like the present invention. The following U.S. Patents relate to animal cages, pet carriers and carriage-like devices:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Date of Patent ______________________________________ 4,763,606 Ondrasik, II 08/16/88 2,857,880 Stone, Jr. 10/28/58 2,790,414 Rossow 04/30/57 1,143,774 Nicholls 06/22/15 1,289,965 Tichenor 12/31/18 1,732,878 Collender 10/22/29 1,412,935 Greenebaum 04/18/22 3,490,417 Swinney 01/20/70 ______________________________________
The Ondrasik patent teaches a modular collapsible cage with wheels on the bottom. However, this cage is not mounted on a carriage and has an entirely different structure than the present invention. The Stone, Jr. patent teaches another animal cage with wheels on the bottom to make it mobile, but it, too, is not on a carriage. The Rossow teaches a portable pet house with wheels on one side on the bottom so that when the cage is elevated from the other side, the cage can be moved. The Nicholls teaches a canopy for a baby carriage to protect the child from mosquitoes and other elements. The Tichenor patent teaches another canopy for a baby carriage. The Collender patent shows another protecting canopy for a baby carriage as does the Greenebaum patent. Finally the Swinney patent shows a portable shipping and living cage for animals.
Contrary to the prior patented devices, the present invention provides a carriage-like pet carrier that has the advantages of being mobile, easy to push, and which contains a pet or other animal in such a manner that it cannot escape, yet still allows adequate ventilation for said pet.